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Table 1 Background characteristics

From: Lifelong versus not lifelong death wishes in older adults without severe illness: a cross-sectional survey

 

L-PDW (N = 50) N (%)

NL-PDW (N = 217) N (%)

P-value

Gender

  Female

33 (66)

116 (53)

0.117 (F)

  Male

17 (34)

101 (47)

 

Age (years)

  Median (Q1-Q3)

62 (58–68)

67 (61–75)

0.000 (K)

  55–59

19 (38)

39 (18)

 

  60–64

14 (28)

52 (24)

 

  65–69

7 (14)

39 (18)

 

  70–74

9 (18)

32 (15)

 

  75–79

0 (0)

32 (15)

 

  80 + 

1 (2)

23 (11)

 

Educational attainmenta

  Low

16 (32)

82 (38)

0.108 (K)

  Middle

14 (28)

83 (38)

 

  High

19 (38)

50 (23)

 

Worldviewb

  Religious worldview

21 (40)

85 (37)

0.750 (F)

  Non-religious worldview

15 (29)

66 (29)

1.000 (F)

  No worldview

15 (29)

70 (30)

0.867 (F)

  Worldview, religiousness unknown

1 (2)

10 (4)

0.695 (F)

(Step)Childrenc

  No

19 (38)

37 (17)

0.001 (F)

  Yes

19 (38)

131 (60)

 

Household size

  Living alone

29 (58)

110 (51)

0.433 (F)

  Living not alone

21 (42)

107 (49)

 

Social classd

  Low

24 (48)

118 (54)

0.278 (K)

  Middle

8 (16)

30 (14)

 

  High

18 (36)

69 (32)

 

Urbanizatione

  Very high

19 (38)

58 (27)

0.180 (K)

  High

13 (26)

70 (32)

 

  Moderate

9 (18)

36 (17)

 

  Low/none

9 (18)

53 (24)

 
  1. Results are presented as N (%) unless “Median (Q1-Q3)” is reported
  2. Percentages may not add up to 100% because of rounding
  3. Medians are reported with 25th-75th percentiles
  4. Statistically significant results (p < 0.05) are in bold. P-values determined by Fisher’s exact tests are indicated with (F) and P-values determined by Kruskal–Wallis tests with (K)
  5. a Low = lower vocational education, lower secondary education, or lower. Middle = intermediate vocational education or higher secondary education. High = higher vocational education or university. N = 1 and N = 2 respectively selected “I do not know/want to answer”. This category was not included in the test
  6. b Religious worldview = Protestant, Catholic, Muslim, Jewish, Hindu and Buddhist. Non-religious worldview = atheist, agnostic, “spiritual but not religious”, humanist, anthroposophical and esoteric. Worldview, religiousness unknown = other worldview. Respondents could give more than one answer and may thus be counted in more than one category. Therefore, N = 52 and N = 231 respectively and percentages are based on these numbers. In group comparisons, worldview is tested with separate tests for each category (yes/no)
  7. c N = 12 and N = 49 respectively are missing
  8. d Based upon the educational attainment and profession of the main breadwinner in the household
  9. e Very high= \(>\) 2500, high = 1500–2500, moderate = 1000–1500, low/none =  < 1000 addresses per km2